UFC Abu Dhabi, scheduled for July 26, 2025, at Etihad Arena, is shaping up as a major event in the promotion’s 2025 calendar. The event is headlined by a middleweight clash between Robert Whittaker and Reiner de Riddler, and the card will also feature a mix of established fighters and rising contenders including Shara Magomedov vs Marc-Andre Barriault for a middleweight bout, Nikita Krylov vs Bogdan Guskov for a light heavyweight fight, and many more. Abu Dhabi has continued to host high-profile fights, and this will not be any different than the previous events that have taken place there.
A new matchup has now been added to the July 26 card, and it is already being called some of the most random matchups that the UFC fans have seen this year. Bryce Mitchell has now transitioned from featherweight and will take on Said Nurmagomedov in a bantamweight debut. The fight will unfold in Abu Dhabi’s iconic venue and will add more to the already stacked event.
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Bryce Mitchell, aka ‘Thug Nasty,’ is set to make his bantamweight debut against Said Nurmagomedov at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 26, 2025. This fight at Etihad Arena will mark Mitchell’s first fight outside the United States, dropping down from 145 featherweight division to the 135 bantamweight division. Nurmagomedov, first off, is not related to Khabib nor Umar Nurmagomedov to remove any confusion. He currently holds a 18-4 record with 4 knockouts and 6 submission wins so far. Mitchell comes in with a 17-4 record and aims to bounce back from a loss against Jean Silva at UFC 314. Mitchell was 2-3 in his last fights, which might have prompted the division switch.
Nurmagomedov is also coming off of a loss against Vinicius Oliveira at UFC Fight Night in February 2025, his second defeat in his last three fights after a four fight win streak. Mitchell’s move to bantamweight has now shifted his focus from featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski to bantamweight title holder Merab Dvalishvili, who will defend his title against Sean O’Malley at UFC 316. A win could help Mitchell enter the top-15 ranking in the division with other contenders like Umar Nurmagomedov and Cory Sandhagen. The July 26 event, headlined by Whittaker’s fight, has a lot at stake for Mitchell who is brand new to the bantamweight division.
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